


Worth It

by QueenPlatypus



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drabble, F/M, Going Through Boxes, Kissing, Moving In Together, Pictures, discovering each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27222475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPlatypus/pseuds/QueenPlatypus
Summary: After he asks her to move in with him on an impulse and she agrees, Ethan learns there are so many more things he still doesn't know about her.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Kudos: 29





	Worth It

The question left his lips without any warning.

Ethan couldn’t possibly explain how it happened, more so because prior to actually asking it, he never really stopped to consider it. The thought never particularly crossed his mind. Maybe because he was already so used to her company, maybe because it simply felt natural. Ever since he met her, everything about and with her had always been… normal. But he still crossed something he never did before. This was a first, even for him. But it had been done and now, there was no going back, not that he minded.

“Would you like to move in with me?”

And now, there they were, unloading the trunk of his car with boxes of her stuff, bringing them up to his- er, _their_ apartment. Surprisingly, Hailey had a lot more stuff than he thought she did. Although, thinking back about the times he actually went to visit her… Due to their activity, he could understand easily why he never paid much attention to her belongings. But now, he had no choice but to see them.

After all… She said yes. The next day, they added her name to the lease, told her now ex-roommates and a week later, which was today, he was helping her move.

“Tell me if those are too heavy for you, I can…”

“Ethan, I’m sure I can carry a few boxes on my own. There’s no way I’ll let you do all this work all by yourself!” She answers in a sing-sang voice.

Still grinning, she passes him, heading back inside the building. Ethan rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging at his face and went back to his car, taking out two other boxes to carry. Quickly, he noticed that she had labeled them: _COMICS_ and _FIGURINES._ Ethan felt one of his brows shoot up. He was indeed curious now, but he would ask her about it later. Surely, he would end up seeing the content of these boxes someday, right?

After a few travels, all of her stuff was now inside the apartment, piled up by the door. Ethan put down the box he was currently holding and sighed, glad that it was now over. Hearing a soft chuckle, he looks up, seeing her approach, holding in her hands two glasses of whiskey. With a knowing smirk, she holds up one to him, which he takes without further consideration.

“I see you’re making yourself at home.” He said.

“Shouldn’t I? It’s my home too, now.”

_Home._ Ethan didn’t know exactly why, but hearing her referring to this place as her home filled him with joy. Not able to help himself, he grins, bringing his glass closer to hers. She quickly takes the hint and hits it with her own before they both take a sip. Ethan lets the liquid go down his throat and he ignores the burning sensation as he sets his glass down, stepping closer to her.

She looks at him, taking another tentative sip, but soon lets it down as well. With the glass out of their way, he closes the distance, settles his hands on her hips and brings her closer, which makes her yelp in surprise. He chuckles, looking into her surprised green eyes. Then, he brings a hand up, twirling a strand of her blonde hair with one finger. Usually, she keeps it tied up in a braided ponytail. Today however, it’s loose.

“I’m so glad you said yes.” He says before briefly kissing her nose.

She giggles, cupping his cheeks.

“Of course… I never could say no to you. And…”

She looks down, blushing a little before getting up the courage to look at him again.

“Would you believe me if I said that I’ve been wanting this to happen for a while?”

“Really?”

She nods.

“I just never brought it up because I thought… I don’t know. Maybe you weren’t ready for this? Or… That you would reject me or... Ridicule me?”

Ethan frowns, but steps closer to hug her as he gives her a lazy kiss. Pulling back, he presses his forehead against hers.

“I’ll never do that, Hailey. _Never._ ”

“I know… I’m just telling you my worst fears. But… They have no longer a reason to be, right? After all… This is real. I’m here, with you, and we are… _roomies_.”

She snorts, pulling back as he shakes his head.

“Roomies, really Hails?”

“Well, aren’t we?”

He scoffs, which makes her laugh some more. She steps up to him, gets on her toes and kisses his cheek.

“Okay, I’ll start unpacking my clothes since you’ve already made space in your closet and drawers. Tell me… How long can the boxes stay by the door without you getting annoyed by them?”

“Depends. How difficult is it to place them in the apartment?”

“Hard enough we’ll need to talk about compromise. There are some things we’ll both need to get rid off because I don’t know about you, but I don’t specially want to rent a storage unit to keep two-three things.”

“Okay, that sounds suspicious… Mind if I take a look while you unpack your clothes?”

“Not at all! Make yourself at home!”

She winks, but then starts picking boxes with her clothes, bringing them to the bedroom. When she is done, Ethan lowers himself to the ground, picks one box and settles it in front of him. He reads the label she put: _MED BOOKS + MEMORY BOOK._ Opening it, he quickly sees three medical books, including his own, along with another. This is the one he goes for, seeing it’s actually a photo album. He goes through it, seeing pictures of her younger, with members of her family, childhood friends, graduating high school and walking in white. He sees her at college, drinking at bars, pajama parties, more of her family… Until he gets to the two last years.

Now, he gets to recognize the faces with more ease. He sees goofy selfies with her ex-roommates, pictures at Edenbrook, and then… A picture of him. He looks at it, surprised. He’s not even looking in the way of the camera, he seems focused on whatever paper is in front of him. Underneath the picture, he sees the caption that goes with the cliché.

_It was all worth it._

He frowns. That’s it? What is that even supposed to mean? He tries to find something else that can complete the caption, but there’s nothing. He sighs, now knowing what will be one of his questions.

Setting the book back in the box, he goes through the others. She has other kitchen accessories, some sheets, a few pillows, more photographs, her hygiene products, notebooks, pencils… Pretty much normal stuff, actually. Until he stumbles on the boxes he carried earlier. He brings them to his side and opens them.

What lies behind him surprises him. Well, she didn’t lie with the boxes’ label, but… This is a whole new side of her he didn’t know yet. He picks up a bunch of the comic books and quickly goes through them. He never would have thought she was a fan of superheroes and yet… She was. She has numerous volumes of _Wonder Woman, Superman, Justice League, Spider-Man…_ Really, many _many_ heroes of both DC and Marvel’s respective franchises. She even has some mangas: including the whole _Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon_ series _._

He puts the comics back in the box and opens up the _FIGURINES_ box. Then, he gasps. Once again, not a misleading label. But… Damn. How many of these toys did she need to have?

“So, how is your trip in my cave of wonders?”

He doesn’t turn his head, feeling Hailey sit down beside him. Instead, he points out to one of the figurines.

“Is that _freaking_ Yoda?”

“Yup.”

“I… I don’t even know what to say.”

She laughs.

“If you think I’m going to pretend my inner-geek doesn’t exist, you’re dead wrong. Also, you can keep your judgement to yourself! I’ve spent enough of my teenage years ashamed enough.”

“I’m not judging you. I’m just… really surprised. I didn’t take you for a fan of this kind of content.”

“Well, _Dr. Ramsey,_ there is a reason why I have more than ‘medicine’ as an interest on my Pictagram page.” She says, flicking his nose.

She picks up one figurine of Wonder Woman, turning it in her hands, a little smile tugging at her lips.

“It’s good to get invested in other things than our everyday job. To escape in fantasy, a little. All those universes… They help me do that, giving me an exit when I need it. And I know that even if they’re not real, they’ll always be there for me.”

She looks up at him.

“And in case you were wondering, my favorite superhero of all time is Wonder Woman. Diana is a badass and I inspire to be just like her when I grow up!” She says, with a wink.

This makes him laugh a little.

“I guess I can see the appeal behind it… Although I’m not as invested as you seem to be in all this heroic stuff.”

“Ah, don’t worry! I’ll teach you everything I know. I hope you’re ready for many movie marathons! I’m talking LOTR, Star Wars, MCU…”

“Dammit, what have I gotten myself into…” He mumbles.

She nudges him and puts back her figurine.

“I’d say you’ve gotten yourself a pretty sweet deal, with me around.”

“… You might be right about that.”

“When am I ever wrong? Actually, don’t answer that.”

She giggles, which makes him laugh as well. But then, he remembers the album. Going back at it, he picks it up, opening it to the page of his picture.

“Two questions. First, when was this taken? Second… What does this caption mean?”

She grins.

“When you came back to Edenbrook, after my hearing. I wasn’t planning to take your pic, but seeing you in your office, surrounded by your work… It felt like the right moment.”

“The right moment?”

“Yeah. I mean, it was the end of my intern year. And… I have been through so much. Mrs Martinez’s death, the almost lawsuit, one of my close friends throwing me under the bus… Me almost losing my licence...”

She sighs.

“I’ve already told you the reason I came to Edenbrook. To work alongside you, but inevitably, there were so many occasions I doubted myself, when I didn’t think I was good enough. And for a while, everything was falling apart.”

Now, she smiles again, looking at him.

“Call me weird if you’d like, but… Having you as my mentor, and sometimes more, helped me get through it. When you quit… It was sooo hard. I also have my friends to thank for that, but… Ultimately, you never gave up. You showed me why I was right about doing all of this. I mean… Your book and all of your research inspired me when I was an aspiring doctor. It made me dream big. But then, I got into Edenbrook where I was finally able to do something! So… Seeing you and being able to work as your colleague did so much more.”

Ethan smiled, closed the book and put it aside.

“It feels like you’re keeping me on a pedestal. I just want you to know that you could’ve done it even without me. You’re an amazing doctor, Hailey. Remember that you were the one to figure out Naveen’s case in the first place. You need to credit yourself more.”

“Maybe… But please, you’re no longer on a pedestal. In fact, you lost that stand the first day we met. You were an asshole.”

He laughs.

“Were?”

“Yeah… You worked hard to get back the esteem I had for you, minus the hero part of course. Because, let me tell you this, I don’t usually date people who are rude for no reason. And yes, you being already done with me just because I was an intern is not a good reason.”

“Fair enough. I guess I kind of misjudged you. But remember I was still the one to approve your application in the first place.”

“Like that excuses everything.” She says, rolling her eyes.

“It doesn’t. But… Maybe an apology starts it. So… I’m sorry for the bad first impression I gave you.”

“Aaand?”

“And for being an ass.”

“Much better.” She said, approvingly.

She gets closer, giving him a peck. But Ethan decides that this isn’t enough. Before she has the time to get away, he grips her sides, pulling her to sit in his lap. He latches his mouth onto hers, swallowing the gasp she makes. She melts into his embraces, gripping his har with her fingers, pressing herself against him, making him moan. She groans, starting to roll her hips. Ethan stops her.

“Not here.” He groans.

“But… This is our home… No one will walk in.”

He shivers. Hearing her say things like this… He shakes his head, remembering he has to keep his resolve.

“I know. I just want to make this special. But first…”

He picks up his phone, turning on the front camera.

“What do you say we add something new to your memory book? I think you moving in with me more than qualifies as a milestone.”

“I think you’re right! But not for my memory book…”

“What for, then?”

She grins, getting closer to him as she tells him to get the camera ready. She leans in, kissing him once more. Ethan gets the hint and takes the picture. They part and look at the photo, both smiling proudly.

“For _our_ memory book.” She answers finally.

He nods.

“I’d like that. But… can I pick the caption?”

“Of course. What did you have in mind?”

He grins, leaning in to whisper it in her ear.

_Definitely worth it._


End file.
